Where does “instinctive” come from?

Instinctive comes from Latin instinctīvus, derived from instinctus (past participle of instinguere, meaning to impel or instigate), with the suffix -īvus, from the prefix in- and Proto-Italic en, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European h₁én.

instinctive (English): Related to or prompted by instinct; Driven by...

Definitions

  1. Related to or prompted by instinct; Driven by...

Ancestry of “instinctive”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishinstinctA natural or inherent impulse or behaviour; An...
2Latinīnstinctusinstigation
3Latininstinguoto incite, to instigate
4Latinīn-un-, non-, not
5Latinînin, at, on, upon, from (space)
6Latinenlookǃ beholdǃ; reallyǃ?; come onǃ
7Proto-Italicenin
8Proto-Indo-Europeanh₁énin

Words derived from “instinctive”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₁én →